NJ Super Bowl Could Boost State’s Iffy Reputation [POLL/AUDIO]

In January of 2014 New Jersey will host the Super Bowl. The game will be played at Met Life Stadium in the Meadowlands. Garden State business leaders think having the Super Bowl will help the state economically and could also bolster New Jersey's reputation around the country. Right now, the state's reputation is iffy at best.

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In the latest New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Business Climate Survey, most members think the Super Bowl in New Jersey in January 2014 is a positive for the state.

More than half (57.6 percent) of the respondents say the Super Bowl being played in New Jersey will either "greatly enhance" or "moderately enhance" the state's reputation as a place to do business. Nearly four in 10 (39.4 percent) say it will make no difference.

Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce says, "I would have thought that people would be ecstatic about having the Super Bowl here, but when you have 40 percent being totally neutral, that is very surprising…Anybody who has the Super Bowl has a real positive impact on the economy."

Bracken says giving the state a better reputation is very important because then it can be viewed as a great place to do business. He feels the Governor has laid the groundwork for this. Bracken explains, "He's putting the focus on New Jersey and portraying things that are more positive than the traditional Turnpike and gas storage tanks by the Newark Airport. He's focusing on something that's positive for New Jersey and the more of that that's done the better the state's reputation and profile is."

The Super Bowl isn't the only big-time sporting event that will call New Jersey home. Bracken says, "We'll have Grand Prix race that's going to be held here and believe it or not, one of the things that rivals the Super Bowl from the standpoint of profile is the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) event that's going to be here. You add all of those together and you have three very prominent, high-profile events that will show well for New Jersey."